[ There's something that pulls on his heart. Some sort of... flicker at the edge of his memory. Is it a memory? He shakes it off - it's only there for a moment. And Aerith's small little smile and bite of her lip forces a smile from him, as he looks away. ]
Loads. [ It's said with his usual disaffected deadpan voice, but Aerith can tell there's not a hint of bite to it - which might speak to how sincere he actually is. ] With this? I don't think they can touch me.
[ He really is easy to read. Cloud's tone might be disaffected, monotone as possible, but she knows fondness where she sees it. ] Is that fondness, Cloud?
[ For her? Scandalous... As much as she teases, she hopes it hides how sincerely she likes to hear that. ] Whenever you feel like they might get too close... that ribbon will be there. Just remember me, and everyone else who's counting on you. We've all got your back.
Nope. [ He said, lying brazenly and ineffectively. ] Must have imagined it. [ This is definitely not a successful lie, and they both know it. ]
[ They - the manifestations... really, there is a part of him scared - there is certainly some parts of him on display here that aren't going to be... easy to handle. But with her ribbon. Well. Maybe he can keep himself tethered to the here and now. And, besides... ]
I don't plan to leave you to deal with a mess like this on your own. So don't worry - I won't forget.
[ There's a moment of awkwardness as he pulls his hand away from the ribbon, it hangs in the air a moment, like he's almost unsure what he should do with it. ]
Great! We're on the same page, then. [ As if she'd ever let you do something crazy like let her live in a nightmare hell world. ]
I'll be here. Just call if anything goes belly up, okay? In the mean time, I'll make a round at the clinic to make sure everyone is doing okay. [ Pausing, however, she lingers a moment longer. ]
If anything goes wrong, you'll be the first to know. [ He of course can't guarantee he'll be able to communicate, once they're inside. But if he can get a hold of Aerith, he will. ]
[ He's lost in his thoughts for a moment, contemplating what's going to happen later this evening when she speaks up, his eyes coming back into focus and looking at her. ]
[ She could bring up a number of things. Any number of them— Zack crosses her mind, but so does Tifa, and her mother, and Sector 7, and... ]
Kick some ass.
[ They'll talk about it another time. When he gets back, or maybe never at all. She grins, looking no worse for wear than usual. It's hard to explain, but he makes her feel like herself— something she finds all the more important after all her encounters with the Specters. ]
[ And Aerith in turn makes him feel a little more grounded, a little less likely to get lost in his own thoughts - muddled as they are. Gives him something to shoot for, other than 'ex-SOLDIER, 1st Class'. ]
Never a doubt I would.
[ He gives a small smile. A confident nod. Anything she wants to say, she can say to him when he gets back. ]
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Loads. [ It's said with his usual disaffected deadpan voice, but Aerith can tell there's not a hint of bite to it - which might speak to how sincere he actually is. ] With this? I don't think they can touch me.
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[ For her? Scandalous... As much as she teases, she hopes it hides how sincerely she likes to hear that. ] Whenever you feel like they might get too close... that ribbon will be there. Just remember me, and everyone else who's counting on you. We've all got your back.
no subject
[ They - the manifestations... really, there is a part of him scared - there is certainly some parts of him on display here that aren't going to be... easy to handle. But with her ribbon. Well. Maybe he can keep himself tethered to the here and now. And, besides... ]
I don't plan to leave you to deal with a mess like this on your own. So don't worry - I won't forget.
[ There's a moment of awkwardness as he pulls his hand away from the ribbon, it hangs in the air a moment, like he's almost unsure what he should do with it. ]
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I'll be here. Just call if anything goes belly up, okay? In the mean time, I'll make a round at the clinic to make sure everyone is doing okay. [ Pausing, however, she lingers a moment longer. ]
Cloud?
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[ He's lost in his thoughts for a moment, contemplating what's going to happen later this evening when she speaks up, his eyes coming back into focus and looking at her. ]
Yeah, Aerith?
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Kick some ass.
[ They'll talk about it another time. When he gets back, or maybe never at all. She grins, looking no worse for wear than usual. It's hard to explain, but he makes her feel like herself— something she finds all the more important after all her encounters with the Specters. ]
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Never a doubt I would.
[ He gives a small smile. A confident nod. Anything she wants to say, she can say to him when he gets back. ]